Child of the Winter Sun
by DamonTheGayman
Summary: Levi is a witch who lives on the skirmishes of society. He was lonely, but that's what happens when you have magic powers. One day, he meets a scared werewolf named Eren who he nurses back to health. Will Eren be his new companion? A Christmas fic that turned into a pagan based Finland during the 10th-century love story between a witch born during Yule and a scared werewolf. 2 shot
1. A Lonely Witch, A Scared Werewolf

**Sup sluts here's your Christmas gift from your old pal Damon. I only thought of this 3 days ago and most of it has been me researching 10th-century Finnish pagan traditions, housing, clothing, etc... Disclaimer, I am no scholar and have no doctorate or nothing in the mythology of Scandanavia or Finland. I did my best and found out tonight that I failed to realize that paganism is multiple group religions that all have unique gods and goddesses that sometimes may overlap. I tried my best, but there are errors. I was looking at who reads my work and saw 7 people from Finland read my work, so hats off to you guys please let me visit you XD Fun fact they have a few months of straight sun in the summer, and days of no sun in winter. Which is of course where I got the name of this fic from. IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHER IDEAS FOR A NAME PLEASE FUCKING TELL ME THIS FEELS WEIRD DX. Anyway enjoy this bull shit I will be posting the second half on Christmas day! Also, please consider visiting **buymeacoffee dot com slash hPKJrwQfk** (it doesn't let put the link for some reason) and donating $3 to my broke college ass. Or just look at it to make me feel better lol**

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Our tale begins in Mitras. A crime-ridden kingdom, filled with criminals and homeless people stuck in between two wealthy kingdoms which was most often cold, dark, and covered in snow. Most of the winter months were spent in total darkness, the sun only out for about 6 hours. During the summer, there was endless sunlight, the giant light never leaving the sky for a few months. After the gods left them, the people began to fear the magic they left behind. Anyone suspected of using magic was persecuted, hunted, and even killed. This was where Kuchel had been exiled to, traveling far to find the fabled Maanalainen, the large forest said to be filled with magical creatures. This is where she had given birth on _Natalis invicti,_ the rebirth of the winter-sun. She was a witch, the daughter of her original village's druid and the residing witch. She had traveled far to what she thought was a safe haven, having heard that many a supernatural creature find the soothing forests of Lapland their home. Bearing a child hadn't been in her plans, but as she looked upon his silvery-white skin, and locks darker than the wings of Odin's ravens, she couldn't help but feel the love in her souls.

The witch managed to find a small home in the city of Nuorgam, where she raised the boy as a human. Not all witches gave birth to witches, so all Kuchel could do was pray to Äkräs that her womb had been fit for another witch, and Jumi for the child's health and continual growth. When her little Levi turned 5, his powers began to show much to Kuchel's relief. She moved them to a smaller house farther from the city, to ensure more solitude for the growing witch as he mastered his newfound powers. As he grew, she could tell that her child was blessed by none other than the winter sun, Mithra's light shining threw the child to bring him great power. They lived fairly simple lives there, and when Levi turned 13, he was officially one of the order and was blessed with the magickal name Vyri. As was the custom, 3 years after he came of age he left to start his own destiny. He traveled to the forest of Elpyminen on the other side of Mitras, seeing for the first time the persecution he would now face as one of the magical order.

Now covered in scars that would forever remind him of the cruelty of humans, he made his way into the forest and was immediately greeted by a Leshy. Leshies were protectors of the woods and were often respected and followed by all the animals that lived in the forest. Erwin, as he came to know, was pale green with wild green hair and sharp blue eyes. What stood out the most, was the two large antlers sticking out of unruly hair. Shaped like a stag, they were covered in moss and leaves from constantly hitting the branches. When they first met he was as tall as a holly tree, dwarfing the small witch easily. Erwin had demanded to know why the boy was there, and when Levi told him he wished to live there, the Leshy turned him away. Erwin feared that should one human live in the wood, more would come, cutting down more trees and killing more animals for sport. Levi quickly explained that he was a witch, and wished to become stronger and learn from the forest. Erwin accepted this and even helped him find a suitable spot for his home. Erwin had been pleasantly surprised to watch as Levi cut not a single tree to make his house, but rather convinced them to bend down to form a triangular frame over a circular pit he dug. Erwin became one of his closest allies after that day and over time, a friend.

The spirits and fairies always gossiped about him, the quiet man who lived in the woods. He looked scary and often spoke in a blunt way, but the creatures of the forest soon found him to be dependable and helpful. When they needed help, Levi often came and did whatever was necessary. Sure he called them names when they deserved it, but they knew it was his way of showing that he cared. Over the years, some of the ghouls that inhabited the forest would even go so far to call themselves friends of the solitary witch. They also noticed now the hollow look he often had, and the way he would start to speak before cutting himself off. He was lonely. They simply couldn't bear to see their friend so sad.

Which is why they currently huddled around a burning log, trying to come up with a way to bring their friend some joy.

"What if we make him some cake or something? Everyone loves cake!" Sasha chimed, munching on a piece of bark she peeled off the tree she hid in. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, the lichen strands sticking out in a messy way. Pieces of wood stuck to her moss-covered face, which Connie was quick to wipe away with his hand. Like Sasha, he was a Moosleute, a small but helpful race of fairy that were one with the moss around them. They were always together, and despite everyone thinking they were together, the two vehemently denied it.

"Does he even like cake? I've only ever seen him drink tea and eat the stew Krista makes." Ymir pointed out, leaning casually against a tree. She was a Menninkäinen, a dwarf-like creature known for their mischievous nature. She usually didn't leave her home which she shared with Krista, but of course, she's too protective to let her little fairy go alone. Plus she kind of cared about Levi since he healed Krista that one time. Krista blushed at the perceived compliment to her stew, dainty dragonfly wings fluttering as she rested on Ymir's shoulder. Krista was a keiju, a small fairy with golden hair and a golden light flickering about her.

"No, he's very picky about what he eats. I tried making him his favorite tea once and he said it tasted like Leshy piss." Petra, the huldra, sighed, her bare form leaning against Erwin's legs. Her tail flickered in annoyance, remembering all the men she had to enchant in order to get the supplies she was looking for. Huldras are beauty incarnate, Petra no exception to this rule with her delicate human features and beautiful orange hair. Any man who saw her would immediately assume her a human girl, except for the fact that she has a long tail, similar to a cow's tail. Petra kept it hidden as much as possible so as to not distract from her seduction, but the other tell is if she is approached from behind, her body appears hollow. That was how she lost today's catch, which still annoyed her.

"Why does he always make jabs at me?" Erwin asked, ducking his head when his mighty antlers started rustling the branches above him. Mike saw this and reached down to move the branches out of the way. The peikko's hulking form meaning he had to bend down in order to hear all the people talking. The leshy thanked him before turning back to the group. "Anyway, we need an idea. We've been here for an hour and are no closer than we were when we started."

"How about you command a bunch of deer to do a dance for him, Erwin! That would be quite spectacular! I could also see how high they can jump… and how far…" Hange suddenly spoke up, their invisible form skipping about the tree branches and causing them to rustle. Erwin should've known better than to expect anything from an Atwuskniges. Hange was a mere spirit with only one thing they could control, pushing over trees. "Hange, I doubt Levi would be amused." Moblit chided, trying to control his fellow atwuskniges but failing by the looks of the constantly bouncing branches.

"Maybe not but I would! Besides, yule will be starting soon, we should come up with some festivities for Lil'Levi's birthday! It falls on the winter solstice this year so it's extra special!" Hange explained, earning some nods and sighs. "They're not wrong. But I'm sure he will be performing many blessings to Mithra during Yule and wouldn't want to be distracted." Armin spoke up. The keiju glowing white and pure butterfly wings flapping lazily. Mikasa nodded in agreement but said nothing, the vedenemo studying her tail disinterestedly. Like a siren, she was a woman with the bottom half of a fish. She lay in a small pool connected to a stream that eventually leads to the lake she lived in. Her tail a pearly grey and green, matching the water of the lake and acting as camouflage. Erwin sighed and ran a hand over his face in exasperation.

"Well, I see that we aren't going to get anywhere tonight and I have still have plans to make for Jólnir's hunt. Why don't we reconvene after yule, as the celebrations will have ended then?" He asked, everyone nodding in agreement from their leader. And with that, everyone headed home, wondering what exactly they could do for the witch they called a friend.

**~ Spirits of the Fallen Trees ~**

As it turns out, they had no need to reconvene after the festivities ended. It was the night of Mōdraniht, and Levi had just begun his rituals. He had much to do as he spent most of his day constructing his makeshift altar. It was made of oak and holly and had a few shelves in order to hold the boar he would be sacrificing for the most important women in his life. More specifically his mother, the founding mothers of the order, and of course, the goddess of winter who gave birth to the sun the very next day. Levi always felt a little warmer knowing that he and Mithra were connected by being born to strong women on the same day. As he was preparing the boar he had caught earlier, Hange was doing what they usually do and trying to push down a tree. It would just look so much better on its side, and honestly, they definitely heard it talking shit to the mooseleutes earlier in the day. It deserved to be pushed!

It was then that they heard it. A howl of anger, of pain, and of fear.

"Moblit?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you hear that?"

"Yeah, it sounded like someone's getting a little too festive." Moblit wasn't too concerned._ It was probably just some humans fighting over some petty issues._ He thought derisively, more focused on getting this tree to finally just collapse when he noticed Hange was no longer flitting about the snow-covered branches. "Hange?"

The spirit flew past all sorts of trees that they_ really_ wanted to push over, but the sound of pure fear from this general direction was more than enough motivation to keep going. It was as they grew closer that they heard the shouting. _Humans._

**~ Child of the Midnight Sun ~**

All four paws beat against the snow-covered earth in speedy bursts, reflecting the rapid beating of the scared wolf's heart. He hadn't meant to shift in the middle of the festivities, but the sight and smell of the freshly carved sacrifices were too much for the boy. Eren had been chased from town to town, unable to keep himself in check and turning into a monster even when he willed himself not to. He had hoped for this town, gleaming with happiness when he found out that in the summer the sun never set for months. The moon unable to beckon out the monster hiding within him during this time. He had been ecstatic, thinking he might be able to live a normal life. However, he soon found out that unlike his last home, Mitras had a month and a half of no sun. Continuous nights with a couple of hours of twilight left Eren fearful of his curse. He had no idea why, but the moon made it especially hard to control himself. His need to change like a constant need to stretch, the muscles begging him to just pull.

He had prayed for hours on end that God may lift his curse, to free him of the demon inside, but found his wishes unanswered. Now, he had lost control and shifted, his lupine form scaring the tribesmen at the feast he had been happily attending. Now with the hunters following him, he felt nothing but corroding fear. _Is this my destiny? To forever run from my fellow man? To live in constant fear of being discovered for what he was?_ Eren howled out his agony, belatedly realizing that he was only alerting the hunters of his location by doing so. _I can find another town. Maybe if I go farther north they will have longer summers, and I won't fear the moon anymore._ The snow was glowing under the light of the moon, greens and blues dancing across the mountain peaks farther to the south. He had climbed those mountains on his way here, ogling the northern lights that danced about them. _Maybe I'll be able to touch them. If I find a mountain high enough… I can touch the ancestors of our past._

A sharp pain in his shoulder broke him from his thoughts, a loud whine escaping him at the sudden stinging pain. A quick look back showed an arrow sticking out of his left shoulder, the brown fur staining red as he continued to aggravate the fresh wound with his running._ Fuck! They shot me! That means they're closer than I thought-_ A rain of arrows burrowed into the dirt and trees around him, another nipping at his ear before landing in the snow. Eren let out a pained squeal, quickly backing up and running in the opposite direction, his muscles screaming in exhaustion. _I can't stop now, I have to live! I have to keep going. I need to find a cave. I need to find a cave. I need-_ He chanted inwardly, trying to find any sort of shelter but only seeing snow and trees all around him. As he ran, he got the distinct feeling of being watched, something moving to his side that he worried was a hunter on his horse. Jumping over a fallen log, he quickly veered right, hoping to confuse the hunters but he heard the snapping of twigs and branches beside him. _I'm going to die. Fuck, no. I can't-_

"Hey! Wolf! Follow me!" A sudden voice rang out, Eren's head whipping from side to side as he attempted to find the hunter no doubt about to end him, but saw no one there. He slowed slightly, confused and growing weak._ I have to keep going._ Just as he was about to speed up, his foot got caught on a hidden root and he fell hard. Breath leaving him in a loud gasp. His body trembled from the pain of the arrow piercing deeper, causing more damage to his overworked leg. He attempted to stand quickly, but a low whine was all he could muster once he fell once more. _I can't… I must…_

"Oi! Wolfy! Didn't ya hear me? Ya' gotta get up!" Eren looked over towards the voice but still saw nothing there. _I must be going crazy. This must be an omen that I am to die here._ However, he suddenly noticed that a small pile of leaves were constantly jumping about, from branch to branch in an unnatural way. _Could it be?_

"C'mon they're coming! If ya don't hurry they'll kill ya." The voice said again, breaking Eren from his thoughts as he stood once more, growling in pain as he trotted towards the leaves. As he suspected, the leaves jumped from one branch to another, leading him farther into the forest. It wasn't long before the leaves fell to the ground and stood still, Eren curiously watching for more movement but found none._ Was it just my imagination?_

"Stay here wolfie! I'll be back with help!" The voice screeched, the leaves stay still as the sound of branches cracking and breaking began to become farther and farther away. What…? Eren did as he was told, confused but out of options. The sounds of the hunters were getting closer, and Eren desperately searched for anything to hide behind but found nothing but bare trees and large pines he could not climb._ In other words, I'm irrevocably fucked._

"There he is! The monster!" A new voice called out, one he recognized as Hannes, the head hunter. _Oh no._ Eren was trembling, weak and cold, unable to hide and had no will to hurt let alone fight any of the hunters. He let out low whines, curling into himself against a tree and hoping they would spare him. He heard the horses hooves as they surrounded him, men hopping off their steed to surround him with arrows and spears. "Good job Hannes. I was worried we wouldn't find him. Then he'll come back and kill our livestock. Filthy fucking demon." One of the hunters said cruelly, others humming their agreement. Eren lets out a growl, a last-ditch effort to save himself but knew he had no chance. One hunter got a little too close, and Eren snapped at him, the boy backing up quickly but spear still pointed at the wolf. "Don't get too close Marlo, one bite from the demon and you'll become one too." Advised one of the other huntsmen, his aged eyes speaking of untold terrors he'd seen in his time.

Just as Eren was about to let out another howl, maybe make them think others would come if they didn't leave, a loud roar echoed through the forest. Before Eren could even react, a giant shadow stood before him. The hunters yelled, horses screaming and galloping off, some of the hunters chasing after them as a large brown bear swatted at the humans. Many called out about 'the browed one', 'the dweller of the forest', and other names Eren couldn't quite interpret, but it was clear to the wolf that it was, in fact, a bear. It stood tall on its back legs, growling and swatting at the humans still holding up their spears. They were calling out to one another, clearly unsure as to what to do in this situation.

"Hannes! Your orders?!"

"Marlo step back!"

"But can't we just-"

"No! Do you wish to anger our forefathers? We can't kill the browed one unless we follow the ceremony!"

"Then what-"

"Retreat. The mighty mead-paw will finish off the monster. Let's go." Hannes ordered, tucking his arrows into his bag and backing away slowly. The rest followed suit, hoping to not anger the bear with slow movements. The bear continued to roar and growl, pacing back and forth in front of the wolf while glaring at all the men still backing away. Eren let out a low whine, his fear coupled with his painful injuries making him press further into the tree. He kept himself low to the ground and small, hoping the bear would leave him, but as seconds turned into minutes, the bear watching the men leave until they could no longer hear the sounds of hooves against the snowy ground. The bear turned then, silver eyes boring into his. Eren could hear whimpering, realizing it was him as he continued to keep his head low, not meeting the mighty bears' eyes. _Please let it be quick._

The bear moved closer, an odd swirl of silver like snow wrapping around its body, wisps of wind encompassing him until all Eren could see was a dark form._ Is this… sorcery? What…_ Eren's eyes fell shut, head feeling heavy and he could no longer hold on. The pain, the cold, the blood loss, and the shock all enough to render him unconscious. But before he went under, he swore he saw a silhouette of a man where the bear once was.

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**Did you like it? It feels rushed and weird every time I reread it but this is just a one-shot and I have a deadline XD. If you have any questions regarding myth, where or what certain creatures are or just need clarification about something I'm more than happy to answer! Also, please support my dumb ass and buy me a $3 coffee. Cause Christmas. (I bought too much shit pls help a college student in need DX) (It doesnt allow me to put a link for some reason so I guess go to buymeacoffee dot com slash **** hPKJrwQfk)**


	2. Witch of Maanalainen Wood

**Merry Christmas sluts and Happy Birthday Levi! I'm not all that thrilled, I had certain things I wanted to add to this and scenes I wanted to include but didn't have enough time today since my family held the Christmas party this year. There is no smut, but I hadn't really planned on putting any in any way and it seems dry to me but maybe that's just cuz I hate everything I do lol.**

**Fun fact: Dyes were hard to come by. Most likely the price range of woolen clothes from cheapest to most expensive was something like dark-white–faded–vibrant. So colors like red and yellow were very expensive.**

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"Tch. He's been asleep for far too long." Levi grumbled, unable to hide the worry in his eyes from Erwin. The leshy's sharp eyes missed nothing, remembering how frantically Levi had called for him about an injured boy. They stood in Levi's home, the round room filled with the light of the fire flickering in the middle. It was a neat spot, and Erwin quite enjoyed the creativity the witch had. Rather than cutting down trees and wasting them on a hollow structure sure to be knocked down by Odin himself in the midst of his wild hunt, he built himself an underground cave network. The walls were covered in daub to insulate and protect from corrosion. The witch probably had a few charms to protect from flooding, and was able to dig out a new room should he run out of space.

The boy in question currently laid in Levi's bed, absolutely smothered in blankets that the raven-haired man kept fixing and adjusting every few minutes or so. He has been out for nearly 12 hours now, each hour bringing Levi more dread as the night continued on. Erwin figured the witch would continue with his celebrations, he had many rituals he had planned on performing and so far the witch seemed more interested in watching over the sleeping boy. _Perhaps this is the answer we've been wanting? Jumi does her work in mysterious ways… is this the cure for Levi's loneliness?_ A small smile graced his lips, and he decided not to interfere with the boy and his friend.

"He was probably exhausted, give his body time to heal. I'll ask Krista to gather some herbs for him when he awakens." Erwin said pleasantly, already making his way to the door. Levi heaved a harsh sigh and nodded, but did not move from his spot next to the boy.

"He probably was… I'll see you later." After Erwin wished him goodbye he began preparing the boar he had cooked. Levi was so confused when Hange suddenly came into his house, screeching on about someone in danger and hunters. He didn't know what to expect, but a wolf that could turn into a human was definitely not it. _Humans must've found out and chased him out of the village. Tch. Bitch ass mother fucking humans…_ Levi was moving the boar from the fire to a plate when he heard the boy groan. He quickly whipped around, surprised to see bleary emerald eyes staring at him. Eren sat up slowly, feeling the dull pain in his shoulder fade as he did and stared at the man in front of him.

Black, straight hair that stopped just past his silver eyes. Angular features except for his smaller nose meant he looked rather handsome. He was wearing a white wool shirt with dark blue on the collar that was unbuttoned and on the hems that nearly reached down to his knees. The sleeves were straight and attached to the trunk with square panels, widening the entrance of the sleeve. The black trousers have a panel structure, with large pieces in the front and the back, to which the legs are attached. He also wore simple brown leather shoes that wrapped all the way up to his ankle and under his pants.

_Speaking of pants…_ Eren could distinctly feel his lack of pants, and shirt, and basically all clothing. His cheeks heated up, looking at the handsome stranger with unknown intentions. Eren remembered then what exactly happened last night, from Yule to the hunters and finally to a large bear.

"So you're finally awake. About damn time." Levi murmured, starting to fix a plate for the wolf brat. He had the roasted boar with herbs and a side of mushrooms he sauteed as well that he placed delicately on the wooden slab. He sprinkled a couple of different plant-based powders that would help ward off infection to his injured shoulder as well as help with the pain.

"Am I… alive?" Eren asked quietly, looking at the warm blankets sprawled about his lap and back up at the man. Levi finally blinked, realizing he had been lost in his thoughts before putting down the plate he was holding.

"You are. I'm glad I got there in time." He said honestly, studying the boy for the millionth time since he brought him here. Tousled brown hair and tanned skin, the body of a young man with a bit of muscle on his thin form. He clearly didn't eat much, so he assumed he didn't have much money or a high social class. The witch picked up the plate and brought it over to his new house guest, placing it gently in his lap along with a fork and knife made of wood. Eren looked bewildered, constantly glancing from Levi then back to the plate, even as Levi walked away to sit down and watch him from afar. After a few minutes of just staring, Levi clicked his tongue and turned around.

"Are you gonna eat or not?" He grumbled, Eren snapping out of his confusion to start shoveling the food into his mouth. He hadn't been able to eat at the festival since he had shifted as they were cutting the meat. His stomach growled out its pleasure, small hums of pleasure leaving him as he chowed down, much to Levi's secret amusement.

Once Eren was finished, he gently placed the plate beside the bed and looked at the mysterious man. "Umm… thank you. It was delicious. W-who are you?" He asked, trying to stand up but the pain in his shoulder made him flinch.

"Oi, lie down. You're in no position to move." He barked out, magically appearing at the boy's side to check his bandages. Eren did as told, even if he was confused as to why. After a few silent moments, Levi deemed the bandages intact and stared into emerald eyes instead. "What's your name kid?" He asked gruffly, watching the way he seemed to twitch under his gaze.

"I'm Eren… you?"

"Levi." Was all he said, the silence persisted once more, much to Eren's discomfort. _Why won't he just kick me out already?_ "Were you running from the humans because they don't accept you? Or did you do something worthy of being chased?" Levi asked suddenly, silver eyes scarily bright. He wanted the truth, and his unwavering eyes were an assurance that he would get the truth. Eren's throat felt dry, his eyes wide as he stared into the moonlit eyes of his savior.

"I… I couldn't help it. I can't control it when the moon is out and I could smell the blood! Before I knew what was happening I shifted and there was shouting and I ran! I ran… all I ever do is run. I don't wanna run. But every time…" Eren drifted off, looking off to the side when he felt the tears threatening to fall. _Stop being so weak dammit!_

"Did you hurt any humans?" He asked, tone gentler and eyes less bright.

"No. That's the only thing I'm able to control." Eren murmured, wiping angrily at his cheeks as Levi stood and walked away. Eren thought that that was that, he would leave, and continue to run. _Like I always did._

"You can stay here until you heal. But I expect you to help me with chores." Levi suddenly announced, the brunet looking up in confusion.

"But I'm a monster! Aren't you scared?"

"Why would I be scared of a pup like you? Now, we need to prepare for the Wild Hunt tonight so rest up."

**~ No More Running ~**

Days bled into weeks, and Eren couldn't be happier. He learned a lot about Levi since he started living with him. He found out he was, in fact, a witch, which made sense as to how he appeared as a bear on the fateful night he rescued him. He liked drinking these weird drinks with leaves. He claimed that no one else could make it because they only grew due to his magic. Eren wasn't fond of it but learned to brew it for Levi's sake. Levi, for the most part, didn't need to live with or depend on the humans living outside the forest. He did, however, make dyes and clothes to sell in the summer for some cash should he need or want something. Beautiful yellows, greens, oranges, and even the rare red dye were never out of Levi's reach.

Levi had attempted to teach Eren how to sew, but the amount of blood dyeing the clothes simply wasn't worth it. Eren thought it was cute how Levi chastised him so passionately about being reckless and an idiot, all while he gently treated each prick as if it were an open wound.

He had been worried at first that once he shifted, Levi would order him to leave. He had been so scared, only 3 days after he started living with Levi and he could feel the familiar ache in his muscles that he had grown to despise. He tried so hard to hold it back, but eventually couldn't anymore. Once he was fully shifted, he saw Levi looking at him with a strange look on his face. _He must be disgusted._ Eren thought dejectedly, ears down and tail tucked in between his legs._ He must hate me now. I need to leave, to run and-_ "Come here." Levi called to him then. Eren perked up a bit but slowly made his way over, expecting the hits to rain down. Except, the hits were actually pats and ear scratches, and soon Eren was on the floor with his tail swinging wildly with a smirking witch scratching at his stomach. Thanks to Levi, Eren felt more secure about his changing forms and was even able to control when he wanted to shift.

Last month Eren had been worried that he would have to leave due to his wounds healing, but Levi never brought it up, never asked him to leave. One time three weeks before he went on a walk to think about stuff when the voice that had lead him away that night started yelling 'I found him, Levi!' and a dark blur rushed towards him, knocking the air out of his lungs with the sheer strength of it. He had been chastised for leaving without a note, and he couldn't help the warmth in his heart when he realized that Levi cared about him.

Over the last few months, their friendship deepened to something more. At first, when it got particularly cold, Levi would move close to him on their shared bed that he would be able to feel his breath on his shoulder. Their hands barely brushing under the elk hide blankets. As of late, Levi would rest his head on Eren's chest, claiming that the werewolf was really warm and he was cold. During the day when they did chores, Eren felt the odd need to stay near the witch, began craving those little touches when their knees bumped together or their arms touched. He needed to see the small smile at least once a day now, the small upturn enough to send flutters through his gut.

Even now as the sun melted all the snow and they ditched all the blankets, Eren still woke up with Levi's head on his chest. It had been innocent at first, the touches, the constant staring, the little things like finding his favorite berries on a plate next to the fire pit. It all warmed and filled him with a warm light he could only think of as love. So he told him, under the cool lights of the Aurora Borealis, he held Levi's hand outright and said those three words that changed their lives. It was perfect because Levi felt the same and Eren couldn't have been happier.

Even if the cheering of their friends could be heard for miles. Levi gave them a stern talking to, even though his face was stained red the whole time.

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**I wanted to do more. Idk I feel stumped. I don't like how I wrote this chapter specifically. Even if this is the last. Maybe I'll do a different kind of one-shot with this but I kinda wanna forget I wrote this XD If you liked this I'm glad if you don't, fucking same dude lol.**

**Fun Fact: People in Finland revered bears so much that they wouldn't ever say their names out loud, calling them pseudonyms like browed-one instead. They would also hold ceremonies should they have killed a bear to convince the bears' spirit that it wasn't murdered but died naturally.**

**Man: "Nah man we didn't stab you! You... uh... you fell onto a the spear... cuz you were bored...?"**  
**Bear: "... Seems legit."**


End file.
